


Changes

by Golbez



Series: Little Boxes [6]
Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Gen, Genderswap, Military Ranks, Mind Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-27
Updated: 2012-03-02
Packaged: 2017-10-21 19:48:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/229071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Golbez/pseuds/Golbez
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Megatron has a terrible fascination with Starscream. What this bodes for her army...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Humanformer AU wherein Megatron, Shockwave and Soundwave yelled at me to make them female. So I indulged them, despite how creepy it was. Starscream remains male though...

Starscream fascinated her. Of this, Megatron was not afraid to admit.

She was not the only one with this fascination either. Every woman on base - barring Soundwave - had shown interest in the man at least once, even the ones in command. Certainly they thought Megatron did not know, but Soundwave had reported several advances upon the pilot. Particularly from Shockwave.

Megatron was displeased, both with the implications Soundwave's reports held and with her own fascination in Starscream.

Perhaps her fascination was for entirely different reasons than any of the other women's though. Even as she worked and approved new recruits to the army, her mind often wandered to the reports on Starscream's background. The man was a walking contradiction, and Megatron wanted nothing more than to break past his fronts and find out just what was going on in his mind.

Starscream had graduated with degrees in all sorts of sciences, yet here he was in Megatron's army. She was certain the pilot would be much happier in a lab than out on the battlefield, yet, at the same time, Starscream appeared to enjoy the battles. There were also rumors that he was becoming attached to a few other pilots, one of the established set of partners in particular.

There was also the now-famous story of the man's ability to charm with a single look - then he started talking, and everyone in the room had cleared out immediately.

Megatron spared the clock on the wall a glance. She did not, in fact, have the time to be dealing with Starscream; her schedule was full enough. Yet, at the same time, she wanted to get the inevitable talk out of the way...except Starscream was already late.

She busied herself with her paperwork while waiting, and even when Starscream knocked at the door and she allowed him to enter, she continued to work. Megatron paid him no attention for several more minutes - a deliberate test on the pilot's patience.

After a while though, the man began to fidget, and it was not long before he started talking. "Commander Megatron, you called for me?" said Starscream, gazing at her. He was fidgeting with his gold and white tie, nervous, or at the very least, restless. "I have...things to attend...to...." He faltered as Megatron looked up and cast her stony gaze upon him.

Megatron smirked internally. No doubt the pilot was wondering why he was here, what misdeed he must have done. Then again...she considered his personality, and decided he was likely too arrogant to be afraid of whatever reason she had called him here for.

"What do you think of Thundercracker and Skywarp?" she asked, casually leaning back and making an elaborate display of putting her pen down. She recalled that these two pilots were the pair Starscream was reported to be spending plenty of time with.

The question threw Starscream off guard. He blinked, surprised, before retooling his expression to something less compromising. "They're both skilled pilots," he said, though his tone was guarded and told Megatron he would much rather be talking about himself. Megatron smirked, visibly this time.

"They are, are they not?" she said, picking her pen up again and twirling it, "I have the mind to promote them. Thundercracker certainly has the intelligence to make Wing Commander..."

This caught Starscream's attention, as he straightened considerably and attempted to discretely smooth out the hem of his red jacket (though the motion was anything but discrete). Megatron waited for him to speak, twirling her pen some more, even as he opened his mouth.

"Frankly, sir," began Starscream, frowning, "Thundercracker is indecisive. Hardly a trait officers should have."

"And I suppose you fancy yourself capable where he is not."

Starscream hesitated for a moment, then, "...yes. Sir."

Megatron chuckled. There was something amusing about this situation, that the handsome young man before her would admit to his ambition so easily. Yet, it was not necessarily ambition behind his words. Megatron was very much familiar with the feeling of confidence that came with knowing just how powerful one was.

"You are a scientist," she said, leaning forward and resting her elbows on the desk as she clasped her hands together, "What do you know of commanding other men, of leading them to their deaths? Of making decisions for those same men?"

"I have the time to learn," answered Starscream, taking a small step closer, towards the desk. "I need only the opportunity."

"Then the first thing you must learn is knowing when to be bold." Megatron allowed her expression to darken, gazing at him sternly.

But Starscream only stayed where he was, fierce determination in his eyes, confidence apparently boosted quite a bit. "Then I can start right away," he said. Megatron held his gaze, tilting her head up a little as she considered him. She narrowed her eyes as she did so, using her most piercing look.

Starscream held the moment for a while longer, before lowering his gaze.

"Much to learn indeed," said Megatron, leaning back and visibly relaxing. Starscream said nothing further, lips tightly pressed together and brow furrowed as he watched her. Megatron moved only her hand, picking up a long, white envelope on her desk.

She held it out to him. Starscream blinked, and stared at with an expression Megatron could only call stupid.

"Take this to Shockwave," she said, slipping into a more commanding tone. Starscream moved, raising his hand to take the envelope, confusion clear in his brown eyes. He took great care not to crease the envelope.

"Dismissed," said Megatron, picking up her pen. Starscream backed away, towards the door, still looking confused about this sudden change. Megatron ignored him, focusing on the reports on her desk again, and Starscream finally took the hint.

He pulled open the door, the envelope clutched delicately between long fingers.

"Starscream."

The pilot stopped, then turned again. Megatron was still focused on her work, and her tone was quiet, but it was loud enough to reach him.

"You have my permission to defend yourself as you see fit."

Megatron smirked when the pilot left the room looking even more confused.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shockwave receives Megatron's letter.

When she learned that Starscream was looking for her, Shockwave could not help her amusement.

Just this morning she had made another rather obvious hint at the pilot that she would very much enjoy copulating with him. He had gotten flustered, and attempted to flee her clutches. Undoubtedly, he'd been very grateful to a certain pair of pilots for coming in at the right moment.

Shockwave was not at all attracted to the pilot. Oh yes, he was handsome and all, but Shockwave only teased him because he was the only man who had not shown any form of interest in her. She had a sort of reputation for that, having turned down every single man who had ever propositioned her. So the one man who hadn't tried yet and didn't seem like trying any time soon - well, Shockwave liked challenges, if only to amuse herself with Starscream.

Shockwave had no interest in men, really, and such a thing had aided her as she rose through the military ranks. Where Megatron had claimed her position as supreme commander through a combination of skill and fear, Shockwave had acquired hers through sheer hard work and simply being the most focused out of anyone present.

It helped that she simply adored Megatron, and the other woman had come to treat her as a confidant, even as a friend sometimes.

As far as Shockwave was concerned, Starscream was a toy.

So it was certainly a surprise that the pilot was looking for her now. Shockwave had spent the entire afternoon toying with him, moving around the different departments to perform surprise inspections, all of which she and Megatron had scheduled for today.

Somehow, word had not spread about the inspections, but the entire base knew Starscream was looking for her - and rumor had it that he was on some errand for Megatron and such.

When the pilot finally caught up with her, she was with the scientists, a tight group of six who distrusted anyone outside their group. Starscream stood at the door, arms crossed, looking annoyed as usual.

Shockwave finished speaking with Scrapper, the head of the scientists, before turning to Starscream.

"Yes?" Shockwave allowed herself to look him over, take in his appearance. Crisp and clean, as usual. If there was one thing certain about the pilot, it was that he was incredibly, incredibly vain.

"Megatron wanted me to give this to you." He moved, closing the gap between them and holding out a long white envelope. Starscream was looking at her with an openly hateful look, and certainly he was smart enough to know better...

Perhaps Shockwave was starting to push things too far. Ah well, it did not matter.

She reached out and took the envelope, their fingers brushing against each other's for a moment. Starscream recoiled, withdrawing his hand the moment Shockwave had secured the envelope in her grasp.

She opened it, and read.

 _Shockwave,_

 _Starscream is to take your position, effective immediately._

 _-Megatron_

Shockwave froze, and felt her blood run cold. This wasn't right, this couldn't be. Megatron was - Megatron knew she was the best, the only one good for the job. Soundwave was too cold for the role of second in command. Shockwave...though she worked with logic, she allowed herself to feel. To care. And the men _loved_ her, not just as herself, but as their commander. They followed her willingly!

And Megatron--how could she do this to her?

Shockwave felt the betrayal blossom, the sense of anger, of hate.

And then she realized she had let her emotions overcome her again. Surely....surely this was a ruse, a trick. Megatron would _never_ betray her. It must have been that Starscream wanted the position himself, so he--

Shockwave drew her gun, and raised it, aiming at Starscream.

The pilot jumped back, startled. "What are you doing!?" he shouted in that voice which was far too many pitches higher than it should have been.

She saw with clarity the shape of this man before her, of he who was called Starscream. She saw how ugly he truly was, how he was a man of lies, of deceit. Here was a man who would ruin everything she and Megatron had worked for, would tear it down with his own hands.

"Commander Shockwave, what is the meaning of this?" demanded Starscream.

"You dare bring such a thing to me?" snarled Shockwave, "You are a fool-- *I* was a fool to think you would be worthy!"

Starscream was backing away, stepping back towards the door. Fear-- fear was evident in his eyes, and Shockwave allowed herself to relish it, to enjoy the moment.

She fired - just as someone else did.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soundwave is always watching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand this is the last part of this creepy little AU! Unless, of course, Starscream demands a part too.

Starscream was, as far as Soundwave was concerned, nothing but a minor inconvenience.

The pilot was unusual, yes, but Soundwave had seen her fair share of strange men and women in her lifetime. A single childish pilot changed nothing. He was not a variable in the grand scheme of things.

Soundwave intended to keep it that way, even when Megatron had expressed her interest, had hinted at making the pilot an officer. A mistake, in Soundwave's eyes. The man was even worse than Shockwave at controlling his emotions, and he was too easy to read.

Arrogant, childish, vain...but certainly a skilled pilot. Soundwave saw nothing attractive in him, and thought both Megatron and Shockwave were silly to pursue him in one way or the other. At least the foolish boy had not reciprocated. Soundwave would have to arrange for his death if that occurred.

It would be easy too. Her twins had already begun training as saboteurs. They were certainly small enough for the job, and could easily cause a few malfunctions during Starscream's next flight. The reports would come in, and Soundwave could manipulate them, make them seem like his own fault.

Megatron trusted her completely. She would be none the wiser about an "accident".

Oh, it was tempting, but Soundwave knew better than to test Megatron's trust, especially when she had just been given a new mission.

She was to watch both Shockwave and Starscream as they unwittingly took Megatron's test. So she had lurked in the shadows the whole day, and nobody dared approach her thanks to her reputation. Silently she had followed the pilot around, for he was less attuned to her presence than Shockwave.

Shockwave was one variable Soundwave would take great pleasure in replacing with someone else. Though the second in command claimed to follow logic, Soundwave knew better. The woman was illogical. She doted upon Megatron, insane and blind with her admiration, not for once seeing that Megatron held nothing but contempt and even distaste for her indiscriminate and indisciplined ways.

Shockwave tried too hard. Soundwave didn’t even try, and she knew Megatron would prefer her company over the other woman’s any day.

So she followed Starscream silently, hiding herself when he came upon Shockwave in the laboratory with the scientists.

Megatron had not said anything about intervention, but when Shockwave pulled her gun on the pilot, Soundwave raised her own.

She shot the contents on the table behind Shockwave just as the other woman fired her gun at Starscream. Soundwave watched as the bullet embedded itself within the pilot's shoulder, and he screeched in pain and fury. She watched as Shockwave turned -- only to be greeted by a burst of flame from the chemicals the scientists had been working on. She could hear them shouting and panicking, hurrying to put an end to this unfortunate disaster.

Shockwave screamed the loudest. The flames had licked away at her face, and she staggered back, stumbling away and toward Starscream. The pilot hesitated, took one look at her, and fled, nursing his own injury.

Soundwave lingered for just a moment, long enough to see the fire put out, and the scientists rush to the officer’s side. Soundwave moved, still silent, and bent to pick up the crumpled piece of paper a good distance away from the commotion. She didn’t need to look at it to know what it said.

Starscream was not a variable, and Soundwave intended to keep it that way. As for Shockwave…well, Soundwave had a feeling Megatron’s contempt for the woman would only grow after this incident.

Soundwave turned and disappeared into the shadows. It was time to manipulate some reports.


End file.
